Bye Bye Beautiful
by Element Of One
Summary: Pearl falls in love, just as her friend Rose did, and is forced to make a tough decision... (Hearts will break, but there's light at the end of this story...)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Premonition**

The hallway was long and gloomy, as it had about as much personality as the rest of the facility. The floor to the hospital was slate grey and the walls were dove. Pearl looked up above her head and noticed that the ceiling was made from polystyrene squares laid on a grid-like frame. The flickering of the fluorescent lights started to give her a headache as she bowed her head towards the floor. She was sitting adjacently across from Rose's room as she waited for her friend to pass on. As she was waiting, while sulking in her emotions, she began to hear Rose call out to her,

"_Please! Somebody Help! Don't Leave Me All Alone!"_

"_Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, where are you!?"_

In an instant, Pearl jumped out of her chair and ran into Rose's room. She was standing before the hospital bed when she frantically asked,

"_What is it!? Rose I'm here!?"_

As she was standing there, waiting for a response, she began to notice something particularly odd about her friend. She could see that Rose was wrapped underneath all of her hospital blankets and was crying. As Pearl made her way to the other side of the bed, she extended her arm out towards Rose and asked,

"_Rose! Are you okay!?"_

Just as Pearl was about to remove the sheets from Rose's head, the sheets came down, and Pearl herself was now sitting in the hospital bed staring back at her. Pearl's eyes grew wide as she stared at herself in the hospital bed and noticed that she was cradling a baby. Pearl was about to faint, but before she could, she watched herself wave and say softly,

"_Bye Bye Beautiful….."_

**The Temple**

Pearl woke up in a cold sweat and started to gasp for air, as she gradually took in her surroundings. She noticed that she was in her room, as she could see and hear the serenity of the waterfalls that were in her presence. As she stood up, she took in a deep breath and exhaled, then proceeded to exit her room. When the door opened she made her way out, she walked past the warp pad and headed up the stairs towards Stevens bedroom. She smiled while she was standing next to his bed and watched as he slept peacefully. She gazed outside of his window and could see the cool night sky and the stars above. Then, she quietly made her way down the stairs and gently opened the front door, so as not to wake up Steven. When she made it outside, she took in another deep breath and placed her hands on the railing, then she looked up towards the moon and exhaled softly. As she was standing there, she heard a voice call out to her and ask,

"_Having trouble sleeping?"_

When she turned her attention towards the voice to see who it was, she saw that Garnet was leaning against the house with her arms folded and was looking up at the night sky as well.

"_Oh hi Garnet! I didn't know you were out here! I'll go back inside!"_ Pearl exclaimed nervously as she began briskly walking back towards the door. As she was doing so, Garnet looked at her and said,

"_No, wait Pearl. What's bothering you?"_

Then Pearl responded,

"_It's nothing, really! I just had a bad dream, that's all…"_

Garnet nodded her head then asked,

"_Would you like to talk about it?"_

Pearl felt herself yearning to have a conversation with Garnet, but instead she shook her head and continued walking back towards the house. But before she could open the door, Garnet placed her hand on Pearl's shoulder and insisted,

"_Is it about Rose?"_

Pearl froze in her steps and began to feel tears streaming down her eyes, as she turned to face her and said,

"_Yes, it's about Rose!"_

"_It's about me too!"_

"_How could she just leave us after all we've been through!?"_

After she said her words, Garnet pulled Pearl in close for an embrace and as she was doing so, she could feel her teammate breaking down. Garnet did her best to calm her and as she did, she spoke in a soft voice,

"_If there's one thing that I've learned from Rose after all of these years, it's that she made a choice."_

"_She made a choice to give up her physical form and bring Steven into this world."_

"_She fell in love and followed her heart. I think she would want us to do the same."_

Pearl leaned back from her embrace, she wiped the tears from her eyes and asked,

"_Do you think that could ever happen to one of us?"_

"_What? Do you mean fall in love?"_ Garnet exclaimed as she stared back into Pearls eyes. Pearl continued and said,

"_Well yes, if we fell in love."_

"_But what I meant was, do you think we could ever do the same thing that Rose did? Give up our physical form?"_

Garnet thought for a moment, then responded,

"_I think that with love, anything is possible Pearl."_

"_That's the most important thing Rose taught us before she left."_

"_When I look at Steven, I see nothing but love. He is evidence that his mom followed her heart."_

Garnet felt herself getting teary eyed, as she wiped her face underneath her visors, then asked,

"_Is that what has you so upset Pearl?"_

Pearl responded,

"_I had a nightmare!"_

"_I dreamt that I was back in the hospital that day, the day when Rose left."_

"_Rose called out to me for help, but when I went inside her room, it wasn't her!"_

"_It was me sitting in the hospital bed, holding a baby!"_

With Pearl's last statement, she began to cry once more. Garnet wiped the tears from her friend's eyes, as she lifted her chin and said,

"_It was just a dream Pearl, nothing more."_

"_Don't be afraid of the unknown."_

"_Sometimes what may seem frightening to you, actually turns out to be something beautiful."_

"_Look at Steven, he's evidence of that."_

"_Besides, you know as well as I do, that the only person that I'm in love with is Steven."_

"_And you love Steven too, don't you?"_

Pearl responded,

"_Of course I do! What kind of a question is that?"_

Then Garnet responded,

"_Right, so it's impossible for you to love another man because you're in love with Steven. Just like we all are."_

Pearl smiled then said,

"_I guess you're right. I don't know why I was so worried."_

The two headed back inside, but before they did, Garnet turned to her once more and said,

"_I want you to know Pearl, that I would never begrudge you or Amethyst for making such a choice. If you headed down a path that I couldn't follow, I would respect your decision, just like I respected Rose's decision."_

"_I would hope that you and Amethyst would extend me the same courtesy if I decided to do something like that."_

Pearl looked at her and said,

"_What!? Of course we would!"_

"_Anyway it doesn't matter! Neither of us is going anywhere!"_

"_It's like you said, we're in love with Steven and no one else!"_

As the two headed back inside Garnet whispered,

"_Love is a strange thing Pearl."_

"_It makes you do things you would never consider doing….."_


	2. Chapter 2: Jamie

**Chapter 2: "Jamie"**

_"Steven….Steeevvveeen…..,"_ Pearl whispered as she gazed down upon him. Steven opened his eyes, and when he did, he saw Pearl staring back at him. He smiled, as he started to stretch, then he let out a yawn. _"Goodmorning Pearl,"_ Steven said. _"Whoa, your breath Steven!"_ Pearl exclaimed, as she pulled her body back, then pinched her nose with her fingers. Then she continued, _"Goodmorning to you to, Happy Birthday! Please brush your teeth when you get a chance!"_ Steven smiled as Pearl leaned in close to give him an embrace. As she was holding him she whispered, _"What would you like to do today Steven? It's your birthday, we can do whatever you'd like."_

"_Yeah Birthday Boy! What's the plan for today?"_ Amethyst asked, as she was standing next to the bed. Steven leaned back from Pearl's embrace, then smiled at both of them as he said, _"Maybe you guys could form Opal and give me a piggy back ride down stairs? That would be an awesome start to my day!" _Amethyst laughed when she heard Steven's request, and all Pearl did was sigh as she replied, _"Steven, I know it's your birthday, but you know we only fuse in deadly situations. And the answer is, NO!"_ Steven held his head down in disappointment, when suddenly Garnet reached into the bed and picked him up.

"_Happy Birthday Steven,"_ Garnet exclaimed, as she placed him over her shoulders, then headed down stairs. Steven had a large grin on his face, as he buried his face into Garnet's hair, then said, _"I love you guys! Thanks for remembering!" "We love you too Steven,"_ Garnet replied. As the four gems headed down stairs, there was a knock at the front door. _"Who could that be? It's too early for visitors!"_ Amethyst asked. Suddenly, Pearl ran past Garnet and Amethyst, then shouted, _"I'll go get it! I know who it is!"_ As she opened the front door, she was greeted by a "mailman" standing before her.

"_Good morning Ma'am, my name is….."_ As he was conversing with Pearl, Garnet quietly whispered underneath her breath, _"Jamie…."_ While they were standing on the stair case, Amethyst looked up at Garnet and Steven, then asked, _"Jamie? How do you know that's his name? Are you having one of your future vision things again?"_ But Garnet ignored Amethyst and remained silent, as she continued to stare at the front door where Pearl was standing. _"Good morning to you to sir, my name is Pearl. Now I'm assuming that because you came to the front door, you have a package for me?"_

Jamie smiled at her, as he replied, _"Why yes ma'am, I in fact do. I have a package addressed to a Pearl, I'm guessing that's you?" _Pearl began to blush a little, as Jamie continued. _Now if you'll please sign for it, I'll be on my way…"_ As she was giving her electronic signature, Pearl began to converse with him. _"You know, this is my first time ordering anything from online. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about doing so, and didn't really know what to expect. But I am very pleased with the mail services! You've arrived at the exact date and time that was indicated on my invoice receipt, thank you for doing that!" _Jamie sighed as he exclaimed, _"Well that's my job. I wouldn't be performing to the best of my abilities, if I didn't deliver mail on time. I'm glad the post office could be of service to you! Have a wonderful day Ma'am!"_

As he was about to leave, Pearl extended her hand out towards him and said, _"Please, call me Pearl."_ Jamie shook her hand, then replied, _"Alright then, nice to meet you Pearl. Have a wonderful day!" _As Jamie walked off, Pearl continued to stare at him, as she quietly thought to herself, _"What a pleasant man, very polite and respectful…."_ Amethyst and Garnet both looked at each other, then looked back at Pearl. As they did, Amethyst said, _"Well this is different. I've never seen her talk to anybody before, let alone a guy other than Greg or Steven."_ Garnet looked down at her and replied, _"People can change…"_ Suddenly Steven yelled with excitement, _"Hey Pearl, what's that in your hands!? Why do you have a package!?"_

Pearl caught herself from staring, as she closed the door, then turned her attention towards Steven. _"Oh I'm sorry!"_ she exclaimed, as she began briskly walking back towards them with the package in hand. _"This is for you Steven, Happy Birthday! I'm sorry I didn't have time to wrap it."_ Garnet set him down, as Steven began shaking with excitement. While he was opening the box, Amethyst looked at Pearl and said, _"You got him a birthday present!? I thought we agreed to take him out today to celebrate, and then let him pick out a gift!?"_ Pearl kneeled down beside Steven and began caressing her fingers through his hair, as she said, _"Well, this is something personal that I wanted to give Steven. It's my gift to him. We can still go out and celebrate today, but I wanted to give him something special."_

When Steven opened the box, he pulled the object out from the tiny pieces of Styrofoam, then raised it into the air. _"Wow Pearl! This is amazing! This is so cool!"_ Steven exclaimed with excitement. _"Another backpack! What's he going to do with another backpack!?"_ Amethyst asked angrily. _"It's not just any backpack!" _Steven exclaimed, then continued. _"It's a novelty Cookie Cat Backpack! There was only a few ever made!" _Pearl stood up with her arms folded, and looked up towards the ceiling. With her eyes closed, she had a smile on her face as she said proudly, _"I like to plan ahead! With a little research, it's amazing how you can find different things on the internet."_ Steven lunged towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He held her tight, then looked up at her as he said, _"Thank you Pearl! You're so awesome! I love you so much!"_

Pearl began to blush as she responded, _"I love you too Steven!"_ She leaned in close to give him a kiss on the forehead, then said, _"Now go get ready, your dad's meeting us on the boardwalk."_ As Steven ran up the stairs to change, Amethyst looked over at Pearl and said, _"I swear, could you coddle him anymore!? You're making us look bad!"_ Pearl quickly responded, _"Hey, it's not my fault you didn't prepare Amethyst! Besides, I don't see Garnet complaining about my actions. And if I want to give Steven a gift, I'll do so on my own accord! I'm not coddling him! I just love him!"_

Amethyst replied, _"Yeah, Steven's not the only dude who you're in love with…"_ Pearl stared at her, and had a bewildered look in her eyes as she asked, _"What's that supposed to mean?"_ Then Amethyst exclaimed, _"It means!..."_ But Garnet stepped into the conversation and said, _"That's enough you two. Today is Steven's Birthday. Let's not ruin it with the constant fighting and bickering."_ Steven stood at the top of the stair case and shouted, _"Alright guys I'm ready! Let's go!"_ Steven ran down the stairs, and out through the front door, as Amethyst followed. Garnet began walking towards the door, when suddenly Pearl stopped her.

"_What exactly did she mean by that?"_ Pearl asked, as she began looking up towards her teammate with concern in her eyes. Garnet smiled as she hugged her friend, then said, _"Nothing. She meant absolutely nothing by that. Great idea on the gift for Steven! I know he loves it!"_ Pearl smiled as she began walking towards the front door, then exited the house. As Garnet followed, she looked up towards Rose's painting that was hanging over the doorway and said, _"I guess it's already begun…."_ Garnet took off her visors to wipe the tears from her face, as she whispered to herself,

"_Please take care of our friend, Rose…." _

"_I know she'll be with you shortly…." _


	3. Chapter 3: A Few More Birthdays

**Chapter 3: A Few More Birthdays**

"_Goodmorning Dad!"_ Steven shouted as he saw his father Greg, standing on the boardwalk. _"Hey, Goodmorning Steven! Happy Birthday!"_ Greg replied. Steven ran up to his father, then gave him a hug, as the gems followed close behind. Amethyst looked around at all the shops on the boardwalk and said, _"I think we should have planned this out better. There's not really anything open right now. Maybe we should come back later."_ There was silence, as the three gems continued to walk, then Garnet replied, _"If Steven wants to come out this early, then that's what we're doing. We're not going back."_ Steven waited for the gems to draw near, and as they did, he looked up at his father and had a large grin on his face, as Greg reciprocated. Greg turned his attention to the gems and said, _"Actually, Steven and I had planned for something different this morning!"_ The gems looked at him, confused, then Amethyst asked, _"What are you talking about Greg?"_

Steven had a smile on his face as he replied, _"Yes it's true, its my birthday, but the thought of receiving massive amounts of gifts from you guys seems kind of childish. I'm 14 years old now, and I'm pretty much a man. So Instead, I wanted to do something nice for all of you! That's why we're out here so early!"_ Amethyst laughed, then replied, _"So you're a man now!? I guess I should've saved that number for the stripper hotline!"_ Pearl had a look of disgust on her face as she glared down at Amethyst, then she looked back at Steven said, _"That's very thoughtful of you Steven, but do you remember what happened last time? How that idea didn't work out so well?"_ _"Last time was a mistake!,"_ he replied, but Pearl continued to talk. _"Remember our age is only an illusion, so it's not necessary for us to have parties, celebrations, presents, cake, etc. Basically anything to do with birthdays. There are other aspects of human culture, as well, that we don't partake in. For example..…." _She continued to talk, and gave her opinion, as the rest of the group sighed heavily. Suddenly, Steven couldn't take it anymore so he reached out and placed both of his hands over her mouth. Amethyst laughed when she saw Pearl's wide eyed expression on her face, as she was staring back at him.

"_Shhh!"_ Steven whispered, then he removed his hands. _"I swear it's not going to be like last time. I've put a lot of thought into it and I think I know what you guys are like. I know how all three of you are different."_ He then walked over towards Amethyst, took her by the hand, and then said, _"Come with me, you're first Amethyst! I have something special planned for you to make up for last time!"_ Then Amethyst replied, _"You mean you got me another Piñata!? Does it still have all the candy inside of it!?"_ Steven laughed as he replied, _"It's something like that! Just follow me, you'll find out!"_ Pearl tried to follow them as well, but Greg stopped her and said, _"Sorry Pearl, but I've been instructed by Steven to keep the two of you here. He'll be back shortly." _Pearl looked at Greg, then replied, _"You know you couldn't possibly keep us here Greg. If we wanted to leave we could do so, and it would take little to no effort at all."_ Greg began to scratch the back of his head, as he laughed a little, then nervously replied, _"I was hoping that the two of you would just entertain the idea! These are Steven's wishes, not mine!"_

"_It's fine,"_ Garnet exclaimed. _"We can wait here for Steven to return."_ Pearl turned her attention back towards Steven and Amethyst, then watched as they disappeared down the boardwalk.

_**The Buffet**_

Steven and Amethyst were now standing outside of a buffet restaurant, when Steven reached into his pocket to retrieve something. _"This is for you,"_ he exclaimed, as he handed over a "gift card" to her. She held it in her hands then smiled as she said, _"Dude, this is awesome! You shouldn't have! Do you know how much is on here?"_ Steven laughed as he replied, _"Why don't you ask the cashier? I have to get going, I still have to take Garnet and Pearl out for their gifts."_ He hugged her, then Amethyst said, _"You mean you're not going to stay!? But it's a buffet! It's all you can eat! Pearl and Garnet don't need anything! Let them stand on the boardwalk for awhile, they'll figure it out!"_ _"No!"_ Steven replied, _"I have somewhere I need to be. My dad will be by after awhile to pick you up in the van, see you later!." _As Steven was leaving, Amethyst shouted at him, _"Bye Steven! See you later! Thanks for the gift, Birthday Boy!"_ Amethyst thought for a moment, then she quietly said to herself, _"I kind of feel guilty saying that. Oh well…..time to eat!"_

Amethyst then opened the door to the restaurant, then walked inside. "Goodmorning!" The cashier said, as she greeted Amethyst. _"It looks like you're our first customer of the day! Are we seating for just one?"_ Amethyst unintentionally ignored her, as she began to rip the card out from its protective covering. When she was finished, she handed it to the cashier, then asked, _"Could you please tell me how much is on here?"_ The cashier took the card from her, then replied, _"Sure."_ As she held the card and was observing it, she started to punch keys into the computer. _"It looks like you have an available balance of $200 on this card,"_ she exclaimed, as she handed the card back to Amethyst. Amethyst was in shock, as she now had tears in her eyes and began to cry, then the cashier asked, _"Is everything okay?"_

"_I'm fine!"_ Amethyst responded, as she wiped the tears from her face. _"You guys are probably cutting onions in the kitchen, or something! That's why I'm crying!"_ Then the cashier replied, _"I don't think so, but I can go check for you if it's causing irritation." _Then Amethyst shouted, _"No! I'm fine! Just let me be!"_

Steven came walking up the boardwalk, back towards the gems, and when he got to them, he grabbed Garnet by her hand, then said, _"Come with me. It's your turn Garnet."_ She obliged, as she began walking with him, then Pearl shouted, _"Wait! I want to know what's going on! Where's Amethyst? And where are you taking Garnet?" _Steven looked back at her and said, _"Calm down Pearl, I'll be back soon. You'll know soon enough. Besides, my dad is with you, he'll keep you company."_ Pearl looked over at Greg, as he forced himself to smile, then she looked back at Steven and said, _"Hurry please!"_ As Garnet and Steven were leaving, Greg pulled out his guitar and asked, _"How about some music, Pearl? Just while we're waiting?"_ Before she had a chance to respond, Greg started to play his guitar.

She took in a deep breath, then exhaled, as she said, _"Please stop! I think I'm getting a headache! It's too early in the morning for noise Greg!"_

_**Sunglass Cabana**_

The two were standing outside of a small shop, when Garnet looked up towards the sign outside and read, _"Sunglass Cabana."_ Then she looked down at Steven and asked, _"What are we doing here Steven?"_ Then he replied, _"Well, I thought you could use a pair of sunglasses. You're always wearing your visors, so maybe you could switch them out with some new sunglasses!?" _He grabbed her by the hand and attempted to bring her inside, but when he did, he found that her body was stiff and she wouldn't move. _"What's wrong?"_ Steven asked, as he turned to face her.

"_Steven, you know I can't go inside,"_ Garnet replied. _"If I take off my visors, I might scare someone."_ Steven looked at her, then asked, "What do you mean you might scare someone?" Garnet took in a deep breath, then replied, _"I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. I myself am a little uncomfortable right now."_ Then Steven reassured her, _"Trust me Garnet, you'll be fine. I would never make you feel uncomfortable."_ She was hesitant for a moment, then she smiled at him, as he smiled back at her. As they were about to enter the store, the door opened. They were greeted by a "Man" who towered over Steven, but was eye level with Garnet. _"Goodmorning,"_ he exclaimed. _"You must be Garnet."_ He offered her a handshake, then he looked down at Steven and said, _"You're right on time, Steven. I was expecting you."_ Garnet was puzzled, as she looked down at Steven and asked, _"How does he know you?"_

"_Not even you could see this one coming!"_ Steven replied proudly, as he walked inside. Garnet looked at the store hours sign through the window, then said, _"Wait. The store doesn't open for another hour. We shouldn't be in here."_ Then the man replied _"It's okay, don't worry about it. This is my shop, I'm the owner."_ He paused for a moment, as Garnet stared at him, then he continued. _"I knew the two of you would be coming, so I made arrangements to be here early."_ Garnet was quiet, as she began to search through her thoughts and feelings. She tried to figure out why she couldn't foresee this particular event, but she wasn't able to. _"Please, come inside."_ The shop owner said. Garnet obliged his request, as she walked inside, then the door shut behind them.

The shop owner walked to the back of the store to retrieve some merchandise, as Garnet and Steven waited patiently. _"Okay, I think I'm going to go now,"_ Steven exclaimed as he walked back towards the door. _"I still have to take Pearl somewhere, and I'm running out of time."_ Garnet was silent and didn't object, as he was walking away from her. Suddenly, she had a vision as she turned to face him, then said, _"Steven wait,_" He stopped walking, then turned around, as she continued. _"Enjoy your day with Connie."_ Steven's eyes grew wide as he replied, _"What!? How did you know I was dumping you guys for Connie?"_ Garnet smiled, as she simply pointed to her visors, then Steven said, _"Oh, right! Thank you, I will! See you later!"_ As he exited the store, the owner came out of the backroom with several small boxes in his hands.

"_Everything is already taken care of,"_ the owner exclaimed, as he set each box down on the counter and began to open them. _"All you have to do is choose a pair of sunglasses."_ Garnet looked down at the boxes, and saw that some of them read "Versace, Prada, Ray-Bans, Oakley," etc. Then she looked up at the shop owner and asked, _"What is the retail value on these sunglasses?"_ Then the owner replied, _"I'm sorry Ma'am, but I promised your nephew that I would not disclose that information."_ Garnet smiled, as she picked up a pair of shades, then said, _"They just seem like they would be expensive." "Don't worry, they're already paid for," _The owner exclaimed, as he watched Garnet observe the sunglasses. Then he asked, _"Would you like to try those on?"_

Garnet became a little uneasy, as she placed her fingertips on the corner of her visors, then replied, _"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't do that."_ The shop owner looked at her, then asked, _"Why?"_ She took in a deep breath, then exhaled, as she replied, _"Because if I do I might frighten you. I have what normal people might call an abnormality."_ She paused for a moment, then finally said, "_I have three…."_ But the owner finished her words for her, _"Three eyes?"_ Garnet was shocked, as she stared at the man, then asked, _"How did you know?"_ The owner smiled at her, as he replied, _"Your nephew told me. That's why I had the two of you come in early. He said you might be a little uncomfortable."_

Suddenly, the owner removed his own shades that he was wearing, and when he did, Garnet saw that there was a "scar" where his right eye should be. _"If you're okay with me just having one eye, then it doesn't bother me that you have three." _He exclaimed. Garnet smiled, as she took off her visors, and began to wipe the tears from her face. The man offered her a box of tissue, then he stared down at the many sunglasses that were now sitting on the counter top. _"Steven's a good kid,"_ the shop owner said quietly, as Garnet continued to wipe the tears from her face. _"Please! Tell me how you know Steven!"_ Garnet asked. _"How did you meet him!?" _

Steven came running up the boardwalk, heading in the direction of Greg and Pearl. _"I'm back, lets go Pearl!"_ Steven shouted, as he grabbed her by the wrist and ran off once more. _"Steven Wait!"_ Pearl shouted back at him. _"Where are you taking me!?"_ He turned his attention towards his father, then said, _"I'll be back dad, make sure you're ready!" "No problem bud,"_ Greg replied, _"I'll be here,"_

"_How come you're not telling me anything!?"_ Pearl asked. _"I'd like to know where we are going, please!" _

"_It's a surprise!"_ Steven exclaimed, as he continued to hold her hand, and pulled her down the boardwalk. _"Trust me, you're going to love it!"_

_**Nail Salon**_

The door to the nail salon opened, as both Steven and Pearl walked inside. _"Goodmorning, how may I help you?"_ A woman asked, as she was seated behind a reception desk. _"Goodmorning Ma'am,"_ Steven replied. _"I have an appointment this morning. It should be listed under Mr. Universe."_ The woman behind the desk pulled out a scheduling book, opened it, then proceeded to run her finger down the page. When she finally stopped, she looked up at him and said, _"You're about 15 minutes late." _Steven looked up at the clock on the wall, then looked back at her and responded, _"Can you still take us, please!? It's really important!"_ The woman behind the desk smiled as she replied, _"Of course Mr. Universe. You already paid for this appointment. How can we not take you?" _

"_Wait a minute! You paid for this Steven?"_ Pearl asked as she looked down at him. _"Where on earth did you get the money for something like this?"_ Steven gently pushed her around the reception desk as he replied, _"Don't ruin this Pearl! This is my gift to you, now go with her."_ The lady behind the desk stood up, then said to Pearl, _"Follow me, please."_ Pearl reluctantly followed her, and as she did, she turned her head to observe Steven. _"I have to go now,"_ he exclaimed. _"But my dad will be by later to pick you up."_ As he headed towards the door Pearl shouted at him, _"Wait! You mean you're not going to stay with me!? Do you have somewhere that you need to be right now!?" _Steven looked up at the clock and sighed, then he looked back at Pearl and could tell that she was uncomfortable. _"Sure!"_ he replied, _"I can stay for a few minutes."_

"_Thank you, Steven!"_ Pearl exclaimed. _"I'm sure a few minutes is all we'll need, then we can leave!" _The nail technician looked at Pearl, then asked, _"Ma'am, is this your first time getting your nails done?"_ Then Pearl replied, _"Yes."_ Then the technician said, _"Well, it takes a lot longer than just a few minutes, but I'll try to have you out of here as soon as possible. Sit down please."_ Pearl was directed towards a pedicure chair, then sat down in it. She removed her socks and shoes, then placed both of her feet in a "blue liquid sauna" that was directly underneath her. _"What is this supposed to do?"_ Pearl asked as she stared down at her feet. As the technician began to explain the process of a pedicure to her, Pearl looked up at Steven and could tell that he was getting bored. As he sat in the chair adjacent to her, he began to look up towards the clock, then picked up a magazine that was laying on a small table before him

"_If you need to go Steven, I understand,"_ Pearl exclaimed. _"I'll be fine."_ Steven's eyes lit up, as he stood up out of the chair and proceeded to walk towards the door. _"Bye Pearl! I promise I'll see you later!"_ Steven said, then she replied, _"Bye Steven. Can I have a hug before you leave?"_ Steven smiled, as he walked over and embraced her, then she whispered, _"We're still going to celebrate later. It's your birthday, not mine."_ _"But you already gave me something,"_ Steven exclaimed, then she replied, _"I know, but that wasn't all." _The two embraced for a little while longer, then they finally separated. Pearl watched as Steven left the salon, then the technician said, "_You have a very sweet boy! I wish my son was that thoughtful."_ Pearl was flustered, as she began to blush, then she replied, _"Oh, Steven!? He's not my…"_ But she paused, as she could see the technician staring back at her, then she said, _"Yes! He's very sweet! Very thoughtful!"_

Steven was now outside the salon, and was staring back at Pearl through the shop window. He could tell that she was smiling, as she was conversing with the technician, so he started to leave. Without looking, Steven began walking and didn't turn his head in time, as he bumped into a man, then fell down to the floor. _"Are you okay buddy?"_ Jamie asked, as he reached down to help Steven. _"Here, let me help you." _As Steven got to his feet, he replied, _"Thanks, I'm fine though. What are you doing here, Jamie?" _Then Jamie replied, _"I'm making my morning rounds, but I'm just about finished. I only have a few more places that I need to deliver mail too."_ After they finished talking, Steven proceeded to walk away and waved goodbye to Jamie. Then as Jamie reciprocated, Steven watched as the mailman entered the salon….


	4. Chapter 4: A Ride Home With Jamie

**Chapter 4: A Ride Home With Jamie**

The door to the salon opened, as the mailman, Jamie, walked inside to deliver mail to the establishment. As he was conversing with the woman at the reception desk, he looked up and saw Pearl, then said, _"Hello again. How's your day going Pearl?" _Pearl began to blush, as she lifted her head up from the pedicure seat, then replied, _"Hello! My day has been pleasant so far, thank you!"_ Then as Jamie finished up with the receptionist, he looked up at Pearl once more and said, _"Take care! Nice to see you again! Hope you enjoy your pedicure! "_ Pearl smiled, as she waved goodbye to him, then watched as he left the salon.

_**Moments Later**_

Pearl stepped outside and felt the warmth of the sun upon her face, as she sat down on a nearby bench. She stared down at her hands and feet, and began to smile, as she was pleased with the work that the technician had done. As she sat there, waiting patiently for Greg to pick her up, she looked across the way and saw that Jamie was still delivering mail to other shops. _"Hello again!"_ he exclaimed, as he walked across the boardwalk, heading in the direction of the mail truck. _"We've got to stop running into each other like this!"_ Pearl smiled, as she watched him open the door to the vehicle, then he proceeded to remove the mail pouch from his shoulder and placed it inside. _"Are you waiting for someone?"_ Jamie asked, as he closed the door, then turned his attention towards her.

"_I am,"_ Pearl replied. _"But he's taking longer than I expected."_ Jamie walked over towards the bench, then asked, _"Do you need a lift?"_ Pearl began to get nervous, as Jamie was now standing next to her, then she said, _"No, I'm fine! It's quite alright! I don't mind waiting!"_ Then Jamie replied, _"Okay, but I can take you. I'm heading in that direction anyway. Would it be okay if I waited with you for a little while?"_ Pearl was now blushing, as she looked up at him and responded, _"As I said I'm fine! But thank you! Don't you have other places that you need to deliver to? I'm sure you have more important things to do, other than standing here and conversing with me."_ Jamie smiled back at her, as he replied, _"Actually, I'm done delivering mail for today. The boardwalk was the last stop on my route."_

"_But it would be my pleasure if you allowed me to wait with you for a little while!?" _

Pearl laughed a little, as she stared down at her feet, then finally said, _"That's fine! I can't tell you what to do! If you want to wait with me, go right ahead!"_ Pearl watched, as Jamie walked in front of her, then sat down on the bench beside her. There was silence at first, but then Jamie looked up towards the sky and said, _"It's so nice out today! The sun is shining and the sky is clear, so spring must be right around the corner!"_ Pearl's body began to shake, as she nervously tilted her head up, then replied, _"Yes! It's very pleasant outside!"_ Jamie looked over at her, then looked down at her feet. She could feel his eyes upon her, so she apprehensively looked back at him and asked, _"What are you staring at?"_ Jamie smiled as he replied, _"Do you like your nails?"_ Pearl continued to blush, and was filled with mixed emotion, as she exclaimed, _"Yes, I do! I'm very pleased with the way they turned out!"_ Then Jamie asked, _"May I take a closer look at them?"_ Pearl extended her hand out towards him, and as she did, her arm began to shake. Jamie held her hand and observed it, and could feel the tremors running through her body.

"_They're beautiful."_ He whispered. "_They look just like tiny Pearl's."_ Pearl smiled, as she pulled her hand away, then replied, _"Thank you! That's what I was going for!"_ As the two continued to wait, several minutes later Jamie finally asked, _"Are you sure you don't need a ride home?"_ Pearl frantically looked up and down the boardwalk, then whispered to herself, _"Come on Greg! Where are you!?"_ As she was about respond, Jamie rose to his feet, then said, _"Come with me, Pearl. Your place isn't that far. You'll be home in no time, I promise."_ As he extended his hand towards her, Pearl grabbed it, then pulled herself up_. "Sorry,"_ Pearl exclaimed, as she began to walk awkwardly towards the truck. _"I seem to be having a little bit of difficulty moving. I guess that's what happens when you get your nails done." _As Jamie held her hand, he looked down at her feet and said, _"Well Pearl, you don't want to mess up your pedicure. Let me help you."_

Without warning, Jamie lifted her up off her feet, and was now holding her in both of his arms. Pearl was in shock, as she looked down at the ground, then looked over at Jamie, as he was carrying her to the truck. _"Well, this is awkward!"_ Pearl exclaimed. Then Jamie smiled as he replied, _"It's alright! Don't be so nervous! I'm just taking you home. But do you think you could help me get the door?"_ Jamie was standing in front of the door, as Pearl reached out to open it. After he sat her in the passenger seat, he walked back towards the bench to retrieve something. _"Here you go. You don't want to forget these," _Jamie exclaimed, as he handed Pearl her shoes.

_**Greg's Van**_

Greg was driving, as Amethyst was laying on the pile of clothes in the back, and Garnet was seated in the passenger seat. _"So let me get this straight. Steven dumped us, just so he could spend the day with Connie?"_ Amethyst asked. Then Garnet replied, _"Yes. It was his decision to do so. I'm not mad at him."_ Amethyst smiled, as she closed her eyes and began to rub stomach, then replied, _"I'm not mad at him either! The buffet was awesome!" _Garnet looked over at Greg and said, _"Steven's been working at the car wash a lot, hasn't he?" _Then Greg replied, _"Yes he has. He likes having his own money, and feeling independent. He keeps telling everyone that he's a man, so I guess it must be true!"_ Garnet smiled, as she looked out towards the window, then said, _"A little man perhaps."_

As Greg continued to drive, he finally came around the corner towards the salon. He immediately stopped the van, and watched what was now before him, as Amethyst said, _"What's Pearl doing with the mailman?"_ The three watched, as Jamie lifted Pearl off the bench, then carried her towards the mail truck. Greg began to squint, as he focused his eyes, then said, "_Is that Jamie?"_ Garnet immediately looked over at Greg and asked, _"Do you know him?"_ Then he replied, _"Yes! Of course I know him! Jamie and I have known each other for years!"_ Then Garnet continued to ask questions, _"Is he a decent man? Can he be trusted?"_ Greg was still in shock, as he watched Jamie jump into the driver side of the vehicle, then drove off. _"Jamie's harmless!"_ Greg exclaimed. _"He and I used to work together, doing construction, and other odd jobs. He's a decent guy. He's a very hard worker."_

"_But in all honesty, I'm kind of shocked right now! Pearl freaks out if I try to hug her, and the only one who she allows to is Steven! So why is Jamie different?" _

Garnet was silent, as she watched the mail truck slowly disappear off into the distance. _"Follow them,"_ she exclaimed, as Greg immediately started driving again. _"I guess we should be lucky,"_ Amethyst replied as she looked over at Garnet. _"What do you mean?"_ Garnet asked, as she stared down at her, then Amethyst replied, "_We should be lucky that Steven's not here to see this!"_

_**The Temple**_

"_Thank you for the ride home!"_ Pearl exclaimed as she stepped out of the vehicle, and began walking towards the steps. _"You're welcome!"_ Jamie replied. _"It was my pleasure! Do you need any help getting to your door?" _Pearl smiled at him, then replied, _"No, that won't be necessary! I can take it from here! Again, thank you!"_ As Jamie waved goodbye, he proceeded to back up the vehicle and was about to drive off, when Pearl turned and shouted, _"Wait!"_ He stopped, and watched as Pearl walked over towards the driver side, then said, _"Please, let me compensate you! I'd like to give you money, so you can gas up your vehicle, for having driven me home. Is that acceptable with you?"_

Jamie smiled at her, then replied, _"No, that's not acceptable. But if you're intent on compensating me, then I have something else in mind."_ Pearl stared at him, and said, _"Okay. Well, what did you have in mind?"_ Jamie was silent, as he stared down at the steering wheel, then he looked back at Pearl and asked, _"How about dinner sometime?"_ Pearl was confused, as she continued to stare at him, then said, _"Dinner sometime? I thought dinner, or supper, usually occurs at a specific time? I know Steven usually eats around 5pm or so, but you're saying that dinner can occur at any time? Specifically sometime?"_ Jamie laughed at her response, then replied, _"No, what I meant was, how about you and I have dinner together sometime? Around 5pm, precisely?"_

Pearl's eyes wide, as she was now in shock and continued to stare at him, then asked, _"Are you asking me out on a date!?"_ Jamie was confident, as he proudly replied, _"Well, yes. I guess I am."_ She began to see images of Steven and Connie running through her mind. She recalls how Steven held her hand, and occasionally kissed her on the cheek, as they were on their date, or as they were seated in the living room. There was silence, as Jamie waited for a response, then Pearl nervously replied, "_Umm, I don't know! I don't think I can! I mean I'm not saying no, It's just that I…"_ Jamie watched, as her mouth was moving, and she was stumbling over her words, then he calmed her down. _"It's alright. You don't have to give me a response right away."_ Then as Jamie began to drive off, he said once more, _"There's no pressure. Let me know if you're interested, but If not I understand. I'll see you later Pearl, take care!"_ Pearl felt at ease, as she sighed heavily and waved goodbye to him, then headed up the stairs. As she was walking, she heard the sound of another vehicle drive up, so she turned to see who it was.

The doors to the van opened, as Amethyst, Garnet and Greg stepped out. _"Busted!"_ Amethyst shouted. _"You're in trouble Pearl! Why don't you tell us what you've been up to!?"_ Pearl felt anxious, as she stood on the steps quietly, and offered no response. Garnet began to walk up the stairs, and was now standing next to her teammate when she asked, _"How was your day? Did you enjoy the nail salon?"_ Pearl smiled at her, then replied, _"It was nice! It was different, but I had a good time!" _Garnet continued to stare at her, then finally said, _"Well, we better start setting up for Steven's birthday dinner. He'll be home in a few hours."_ Then Pearl replied, "_Where is he!? For some reason he didn't want to wait with me at the salon!"_ Then Garnet responded, _"He's with Connie. He's spending the day with her, but he'll be home in a few hours."_

Pearl sighed, as she continued to walk up the stairs, then exclaimed, _"Steven needs to slow down! He's too young to have a girlfriend!"_ Amethyst overheard the conversation, as she too was marching up the steps, then she shouted, "_Who!? Steven!? You mean that other GUY who lives here!? I thought you forgot all about him Pearl!"_ Pearl glared back at Amethyst with a look of anger in her eyes, as Garnet gently pushed her inside the house. _"Just ignore her,"_ Garnet whispered, as the two walked inside.


	5. Chapter 5: The Proposal

**Chapter 5: The Proposal**

_**After Steven's Birthday**_

Greg and Steven were working hard at the car wash, and as they were finishing up, they could still see a few cars remaining. After a while, Greg could see that there was only one car left, so he looked down at Steven and said, _"Take a break bud, I'll finish this one up myself." _Steven obliged, as he began to walk towards his father's van, then sat down beside it. Greg sprayed his son with the water hose, as Steven shouted, _"Come on dad! Stop!"_ Greg smiled at him, as he replied, _"I'm just trying to cool you off buddy! Don't get so angry!"_ Greg turned his attention towards the last remaining vehicle, and when he did, he saw that it was the "mail truck."

"_Hey Greg, how's it going?" _Jamie asked, as he opened the door and stepped outside. _"Hey Jamie. I'm doing fine," _Greg replied, as he began to spray the mail truck. "_It looks like it was finally time to get this thing washed."_ Then Jamie replied, _"Yeah, it was long overdue!"_ Jamie waited as Greg sprayed the entire vehicle, then he walked over towards a bucket of soap to retrieve a sponge. _"You don't have to do that,"_ Greg exclaimed. _"That's my job."_ As Jamie began to wipe the hood of the truck with the sponge, he looked at over at Greg and said_, "It's alright. I want to help out." _Greg also grabbed a sponge from the bucket, and began wiping the windows, as Jamie quietly said, _"This feels just like old times."_

Greg smiled at him, as he replied, _"I guess it does! I can't even remember the last time that we worked together! How's the post office working out for you?"_ Jamie smiled back, as he continued to clean the truck, then replied, _"It's going good. I'm glad I got on. It's a federal job, so it's nice to finally have benefits for once."_ Then Greg replied, _"Yeah tell me about it. I could certainly use some benefits right about now."_ Then Jamie looked at Greg and asked, _"If you want I could put in a good word for you?"_ Then Greg nodded his head, as he replied, _"No, its fine. My place is here at the carwash. I own it now, so I'm pretty much my own boss. If I don't have medical insurance, then just try not to get sick."_ Jamie laughed, as he looked over at Steven and asked, _"Well, what about Steven? Would he be interested? Right now I'm looking for an apprentice. So if Steven's interested, that would save me the time of interviewing someone."_

Greg looked over at his son, then looked back at Jamie and replied, _"I don't know. Steven works here at the carwash and he likes it."_ Then Jamie replied, _"Well, It's a federal job. If Steven gets his foot in the door, he can make a good living. The position pays $14 an hour to start."_ Greg stared at Jamie, and his eyes were wide, as he replied, _"$14 an hour!? Are you kidding me!? That's more than double what I pay him here!" _

_"Hold on, let me go ask him." _

Greg walked over towards his son, and began to talk with him, as Jamie waited patiently. They both walked back towards Jamie, and Steven was now smiling as he did. "_When can I start!?"_ Steven exclaimed, as he extended his hand towards him. Jamie laughed, as he shook Steven's hand, then replied, _"If have to get the paperwork and the approval from my boss. But if it all goes according to plan, you could be starting at the end of the week!"_ Steven smiled at him, then said, _"Thanks Jamie!"_ He turned towards his father, then asked, _"Dad, are you okay with this?"_ _"Of course Steven!"_ Greg exclaimed. _"If you have an opportunity to make more money, than you should go for it!" _Steven hugged his dad, then he even hugged Jamie. As he was doing so, Greg looked at Jamie and said, _"Sorry about that!"_ Jamie smiled as he replied, _"Its quite alright Greg. Steven's just excited."_

As Steven let go of Jamie, he heard a voice calling out to him from the distance. _"Steven,"_ Pearl shouted, as she came walking up towards the car wash. _"Dinner's ready."_ Steven ran off, then shouted back at them, _"I'll see you guys later! Thanks Jamie! Bye!"_ Steven ran up to Pearl and asked, _"What's for dinner?"_ Then she replied, _"Tacos. You better hurry because I don't know how long they'll be around! Amethyst was already eating when I left!"_ Steven's stomach growled, as he continued to run back towards the temple. _"You're welcome Steven! Thanks for waiting for me!"_ Pearl shouted. As Pearl was standing there, her body became stiff, as she could now see Jamie standing before her. He walked over towards her, then asked, _"Well, did you think about my proposal? Are you interested in going out with me sometime?"_

Pearl was silent, as she had her arms folded, then replied, _"I've been thinking about your request, and after much consideration I've decided, yes, I will go on a date with you." _Jamie was ecstatic, as he replied, "_Sweet! Thank you Pearl! I was thinking I'd pick you up this Saturday, if that's okay?"_ Then she replied, _"That's fine. But please remember, this is strictly platonic. This is just me returning the favor to you. In fact, I'm a little uncomfortable the whole notion of a date. I'd rather call it an "outing," if that's okay with you?" _Jamie smiled at her, as he replied, _"That's fine Pearl. Whatever you want to call it, is fine with me. So I'll pick you up this Saturday?"_ Pearl began to blush, as she replied, "_Yes, I'll see you on Saturday! Bye Jamie!" _Then she walked back towards the Temple.

As she was leaving, Jamie waved goodbye to her, then quietly whispered, _"Bye Bye Beautiful.."_

As he walked back towards the truck, Greg looked at him and said_, "Jamie, there's something that I need to ask you." _As Jamie picked up the sponge, and began to clean the vehicle once more, he replied, _"Sure, go right ahead."_ Greg sighed, as he continued to scrub the vehicle, then said, _"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but, did you offer my son a job just so you could get closer to Pearl?"_ Jamie looked at Greg, then replied, _"What? Of course not! How could you even think that!? I actually do need an apprentice, Greg! Steven seems like he would be the perfect fit."_ Then Greg quickly responded, _"I'm sorry, please forgive me! I just wanted to voice my concern."_

"_No problem, Greg,"_ Jamie exclaimed. _"There's no need to worry. I assure you I have nothing but good intentions. Pearl and I are just going on an "outing."_

"_She insisted on paying me for bringing her home, but I said no. I told her that I would like to have dinner instead, if she was okay with it." _

Greg began to laugh a little, as he replied, _"Yeah she's kind of different sometimes! But I just know that Steven cares about her a lot, and he doesn't want to see anything bad happen to her. She's like a mother to him."_ Jamie stepped back, then placed his hand over his heart as he said, _"I swear Greg, I have no bad intent. I'll treat her with respect."_ The two became quiet, as they finished washing the vehicle, then Jamie asked, _"How many years has it been since your wife…"_ Then Greg finished his words for him, _"14 years. That's how old Steven is."_

"_Would you like to talk about it?"_ Jamie asked, then Greg replied, _"No, not really. But I could sure go for a cold beer."_ Jamie smiled, as he replied, _"You're in luck!"_ Greg watched as Jamie opened the door and walked inside the vehicle, then retrieved a small cooler. _"Have one on me,"_ Jamie exclaimed, as he handed Greg a beer. As the two stood there, and began drinking, Greg looked up towards the night sky and said, _"It's good to see you again Jamie."_

As Jamie popped the cap off a beer bottle, he replied, _"It's good to see you too Greg, thanks for the company."_


	6. Chapter 6: Your Love, My Death

**Chapter 6: **

**Your Love, My Death…**

It was a quiet Saturday evening, as Steven and Amethyst were both sitting down in front of the television screen, playing videogames, when Amethyst asked, _"So Steven, how do you like your new job?"_ Steven was pressing buttons on his controller, and had his eyes glued on the TV screen, as he replied, _"It's going good so far. The only thing that sucks thou, is that I have to get up early!"_ Amethyst laughed as she said, _"Well dude, I guess that's just part of being an adult. After all, you did say that you were a man now! So now you're a working man!"_ Steven sighed, then he responded, _"Yeah, I guess so. But the money's awesome, so I can't complain!" _Amethyst began to joke with him, as she said, _"That's right! I forgot you're a baller now! So that means we can go to the buffet more often!"_

"_Sure,"_ Steven exclaimed. _"We can go again sometime."_

As the two continued to play and converse with each other, they were silenced by the sound of someone knocking at the front door.

_**Jamie's Arrival**_

"_I'll go get it,"_ Steven exclaimed, as he walked down stairs and headed towards the front door. When he opened it, he saw Jamie standing before him, carrying a "Rose," and he was dressed in formal attire. _"Jamie!? What are you doing here!?"_ Steven asked. _"I thought we don't work again until Monday!? Why are you dressed like you're going to a funeral!?"_ Jamie became nervous, as he looked down at him and replied_, "Hey Steven! Happy Saturday!"_ There was an uncomfortable silence between them, as Steven continued to stare, then Jamie cleared his throat and finally said, _"I'm actually here for Pearl."_

"_What do you mean you're here for Pearl!?"_ Steven asked, as he could feel his heart start to beat a little faster. As uncomfortable as Jamie was, he could see that Steven was filled with emotion, so he forced himself to respond. _"Well Steven, Pearl and I are going out tonight, just for a little while thou. It's something that we had already discussed prior, so I'm sorry if this makes you a little uncomfortable. I apologize if this is unexpected."_ Right before Steven was about to respond, he turned his head back towards the temple door, and watched as the white gemstone lit up. The door to the temple opened, as Pearl exited her room.

"_Steven! What are you still doing here!?"_ Pearl shouted, as she briskly walked towards him. _"I thought you were going to see Connie tonight!?"_ She exclaimed, as she kneeled down in front of him with both of her hands placed on his shoulders. _"She's sick right now,"_ Steven replied. _"Mr. Maheswaren said he doesn't think it's a good idea for me to come over, at least until she's feeling better." _Pearl looked at Amethyst and said, _"You couldn't have taken him anywhere!? I thought the two of you like to hangout!?"_ Amethyst was now seated on the bedroom stairs, and had her arms folded, as she now had a large grin on her face. _"We are hanging out!"_ She replied_. "We're playing videogames! Besides, I didn't want Steven to miss this!"_ At this point Pearl could feel her blood boiling, so she turned her attention back towards Steven. Just as she was about to respond, Steven finally said, _"Uh, Pearl!? What's going on!? Why is Jamie here!?"_

Pearl looked up at Jamie and asked, _"Could you give us a minute please? I need to talk with Steven, alone."_ Then Jamie replied, _"Sure, no problem. I'll be outside."_ She waited for Jamie to shut the door, then she turned her attention back to Steven and said, _"Jamie and I are going out for a little while, but I'll be back soon, I promise." "What do you mean you're going out!?"_ He exclaimed, as he now had angst in his voice. _"On a date!? Like me and Connie!?"_ _"No, No! It's nothing like that!" _Pearl quickly replied. _"I wouldn't call it a date. It's more like a pleasant evening outing, in which two people get together to perform an activity that seems appealing to both parties."_ Steven looked at her, and was confused at her explanation, then he said, _"Yeah, it's called a date!"_

Pearl looked over at Amethyst once more, and said, _"Would you mind helping me out!? I'm trying to explain it to him!" _Amethyst just laughed, as she replied, _"You're on your own with this one! This is so entertaining!"_ Then Pearl sighed, as she looked back at Steven and said, _"It's not a date Steven. This is just me reciprocating a favor to Jamie."_ She hugged him, then gave him a kiss on the forehead, as she stood up. _"I won't be gone that long, so there's no need to worry or get upset."_ She exclaimed, as she began to caress her fingers through his hair. _"I'll be back soon, I promise."_ Steven watched, as she exited the house, then the door shut behind her.

_**Garnets Wisdom**_

"_So who's cooking dinner!?"_ Steven shouted, as he looked over at Amethyst. _"Pearl's the only one who cooks! This sucks!"_ _"Well, I guess it's just you and me!"_ She replied. _"I have a few ideas, but I wish Pearl would've made herself useful and cooked something before she left! Maybe I'll just call for pizza." _Steven's eyes lit up, as he responded, _"Pizza sounds nice! Lets do that!"_ While the two were conversing, the door to the temple opened once more, then Garnet walked out. _"Actually, I'll be the one cooking dinner tonight,"_ Garnet exclaimed, as she walked into the kitchen. Steven ran up to one of the stools, sat down, and immediately said, _"So what are we having!? I've never seen you cook before, Garnet. This is going to be awesome!"_ She was silent, as she started to pull out pots and pans, then Steven asked, "_Garnet, can I ask you something?"_

"_Yes Steven, what is it?"_ She replied. The enthusiasm in Steven's voice and demeanor had changed, as he asked, _"Did you know that Pearl was going out with Jamie tonight?"_ Garnet walked over towards the fridge and opened it, as she replied, "_Yes, I did know, but what about it?"_ Steven felt his emotion boil over, so he finally spoke what was on his mind as he said, _"Why didn't she tell me!? Who is Jamie to her!?" _Garnet lifted her head up from the refrigerator, looked at Steven, and then replied, _"She didn't want to upset you."_ Steven felt a few tears running down his face as he shouted "_Well, can you tell me what's going to happen!? Can you use your future vision! Do something!"_ Garnet adjusted her visors, then replied, _"Steven, you know I can't do that, and I refuse to. You need to put your faith in Pearl, and trust that everything will be alright."_ When he heard her words, Steven held his dead down in silence, as Garnet turned her attention back towards the kitchen. She stared at the pile of pots and pans that were before her, then said, _"We're ordering Pizza."_

_**The Departure**_

When Jamie opened the passenger door and Pearl stepped inside, he handed her a Rose and said, _"This is for you." "But I thought that we agreed this was strictly platonic,"_ she exclaimed, as she observed the rose that she was now holding in the palm of her hand. _"I know,"_ Jamie replied. _"It's just a kind gesture. I apologize if that makes you feel uncomfortable."_ Pearl was silent at first, as she continued to stare at the Rose, then she replied _"No. It's okay, I guess,"_ As Pearl became quiet, Jamie closed the passenger door and walked around the vehicle. As he opened the driver side, he sat down in his seat, then looked over at Pearl and asked, _"Are you ready to go?" _She was quiet at first, then she replied, _"Yes."_ With that, Jamie placed the key in the ignition and began to turn it. _"Sorry,"_ he exclaimed, as he made several attempts to start the engine. _"This trucks old. Just give me a moment, and we'll be leaving in no time."_

Pearl was nonchalant in her demeanor, as she had her legs crossed and was now staring down at the Rose in her lap. _"Take your time,"_ she whispered. _"I'm in no rush."_ Pearl looked outside the passenger window, and began to stare up towards the house. As she did, she saw Steven pressed up against the window, staring back at her. She smiled at him and he reciprocated, as she continued to wait for Jamie to start the vehicle. _"There it goes! Finally!"_ Jamie shouted, as the engine started. While the truck was backing out, Pearl kept her eyes locked on Steven and blew him a kiss. Steven reciprocated, by catching it in the palm of his hand, then he blew one back at her.

After a while Jamie asked,_ "Is everything okay?"_ as he looked over at her. Pearl was silent, as she now had her hand pressed against her forehead, and continued to stare down at her lap. Jamie became anxious, as he continued to drive and waited for a response. _"I'm fine,"_ Pearl finally replied, as she lifted her head up and began to wipe the tears from underneath her eyes. _"This isn't going to take long?"_ She asked, as she looked over at him. _"No, it won't,"_ he exclaimed, then he handed her a handkerchief from his coat pocket. _"We'll be back before you know it."_

_**The Date**_

"_So where exactly are we going?"_ Pearl asked, as Jamie continued to drive. _"Well, I wanted it to be a surprise,"_ he replied. _"Oh, a surprise!? I'm not a big fan of surprises!"_ Pearl exclaimed. _"I get enough of those from Steven!"_ Then she continued, "_May I ask why you're dressed so formally?"_ Without answering, Jamie kept his eyes on the road, as he reached into his coat pocket and handed her a "Program." When she opened it, Pearl's eyes lit up as she looked over at Jamie and said, _"You're taking me to go see Shakespeare!?" _Jamie smiled, as he observed how Pearl's attitude and demeanor had changed. _"I wish I would have known!"_ She exclaimed. _"I would've dressed properly for the occasion!"_

"_Don't worry, you're fine,"_ he replied. _"Where we're going is pretty casual. I wore my suit because my washer broke down, so all my clothes were dirty. Otherwise, I probably would've dressed in khakis and a polo shirt for our date!"_ Then Jamie caught himself, and remembered what Pearl had said, as he asked, _"Is it okay to call it a date?"_ Pearl looked over at him and smiled as she replied, _"I'm comfortable with referring to it as a date! That's fine!"_ Jamie smiled back at her as he continued to drive, then Pearl looked down at the Program and began to read. _"I haven't seen William in years," _she whispered, as she had her eyes fixated on the pamphlet. _"I hope he's doing okay. He was always so romantic and creative in the way that he wrote his literature!"_ Pearl held the program close to her chest, then sighed, as she said, _"Good Memories!"_

Jamie looked over at Pearl, and had a confused look on his face as he replied, _"I have no doubt that the man was talented, but you act as if you know him personally! How is that even possible? Are you feeling okay?"_ Pearl froze, as her eyes became wide and she remembered that she was thousands of years older than Jamie. Her age was infinite, so she was much older than William Shakespeare as well. _"Did I say that!? I'm sorry!"_ She nervously exclaimed. _"What I meant to say was, I haven't seen a play by William Shakespeare in years! Besides, it's impossible for me to know him! He was way before my time!"_ Jamie began to laugh a little, as he continued to drive, then he said, _"It's alright! I'm glad you're excited thou! We're almost there!"_

_**Beach City Community College**_

After a few more minutes of driving, Jamie finally pulled into a large parking lot. He exited the drivers side and immediately walked around towards the passenger door to let Pearl out. _"Are you ready Pearl?"_ he asked, as he held his hand out to her. Pearl blushed, as she took his hand, then stepped out of the truck. He offered his arm to her, and Pearl obliged by wrapping her arm underneath his, then they both began to walk towards an auditorium. As they were walking, Pearl looked around and saw other people exiting their vehicles as well, and they were also walking towards the auditorium. _"I feel so out of place,"_ she exclaimed, as she looked up at Jamie. _"You're not the one who's out of place!"_ He replied, _"I'm the only guy dressed up in a suit! Most of these people are wearing jeans and a T-shirt! I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb!"_

"Well we can fix that." Pearl exclaimed, as she smiled once more. Jamie watched as her gemstone began to glow bright, her body became illuminated, then she transformed her appearance. He was silent for a moment as he stared at her, then he finally said, _"Wow, you look great!"_ Pearl now had on an aqua blue dress that was closely fitted to her body. She also had on a white shawl that she wore over her shoulders, and she was now wearing white heels for footwear. _"So, I just look great?"_ Pearl asked. Jamie brought her in close and gazed into her eyes as he said, _"You look amazing."_ She was now completely blue in her face, as the two continued to walk towards the auditorium.

_**An unforgettable evening**_

Pearl had her eyes glued towards the stage, as she watched several college students act out various plays of Shakespeare. _"Romeo, Romeo! Where is Thy Romeo?"_ A student shouted, as she was dressed in Shakespearean clothing, and was attempting to act out a scene. Suddenly, Pearl stood up out of her seat and shouted towards the stage,

"_You're not saying it right! It's Wherefore Art Thou Romeo!?"_

"_This is Shakespearean English, try to speak it correctly!"_

"_If you want to master the forms of THOU, use THY for possessive. Use THINE before vowels or the letter H, and lastly use THEE for an object!"_

The instructor stopped the play and immediately brightened the lights in the auditorium. He looked over at Pearl, as she was standing out of her seat, then said, _"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to leave if you interrupt the play one more time."_ Jamie tried to prevent himself from laughing, so he grabbed Pearl by her hand and pulled her back into her seat. _"Shhh!"_ he whispered as he looked over at her. _"But they're not saying it correctly!"_ she exclaimed. _"They're just kids,"_ Jamie replied. _"Give them a break. I'm sure the instructor will correct them later."_ Pearl sat back in her seat and continued to watch the play, when Jamie decided to reach for her hand.

"_You're hands are so soft,"_ he exclaimed, as he was now holding one. Pearl was in shock, as she stared down at her fingers and saw that they were intertwined with his. _"Umm! Thank you Jamie!"_ she replied. _"Your hands feel kind of rough, like you may have callouses on them! You must work with your hands a lot!?"_ Jamie was silent, as he was now in total relaxation and was leaning back into his chair. He held her hand and began to massage her fingers, then Pearl whispered, _"Please don't take this the wrong way, but I'm a little uncomfortable right now!"_ Jamie was stunned when he heard her words, so he immediately leaned up and asked, _"Is something wrong!?" _Pearl pulled her hand away, then replied, "_I know you like me. I've figured that out now. But I think you're moving just a little bit too fast! Can't we just enjoy the evening together?"_

Jamie became nervous so he quickly replied, _"You're right! I'm sorry! I made a promise that I would be respectful, and right now I'm breaking that promise! Please forgive me Pearl! I'm not really good at the whole dating thing!"_

"_It's okay,"_ She exclaimed, _"I'm not good at it either. As a matter of fact, this is the first date that I've ever been on." _Jamie was shocked, as he looked at her and said, _"Really!? This is your first date!?"_ Pearl nodded her head, then Jamie continued, _"I wish I would've known that! I would have never brought you here! We could've went to the boardwalk instead, and we could've even taken Steven with us!" _Pearl became silent, then she replied, _"I don't think that will ever happen Jamie. In fact, I won't allow it too. Steven's not used to seeing myself, or my other two companions, interact with males other than his father, or he himself."_

Jamie leaned back into his seat, and sighed heavily. _"Wow, I truly am sorry Pearl,"_ he whispered. _"It's okay,"_ she replied. Pearl looked over at him, and saw that he was completely dejected, so she thought of a solution. _"Would it okay if we do the arm thing instead?"_ Pearl asked. _"I'm okay with that!"_ Jamie laughed a little as he held out his elbow, then she placed her arm underneath and held it close. _"Are you enjoying the play?"_ he asked. Then she replied, _"I most certainly am! Thank you! I just wish these students were correct in their interpretation of Shakespeare. Even the clothing that they're wearing isn't the proper 16__th__ century style of dress. I'm sure their mentor, or instructor as you put it, will correct their errors."_ Jamie continued to laugh, then sighed heavily, as they watched the rest of the show.

_**The Trip Home**_

It was now raining outside, as Jamie was driving back towards the temple. _"Can you see okay?" _Pearl asked, as she saw the wiper blades moving side to side. _"I can see fine, don't worry,"_ he replied, _"This truck's old, but it'll hold up."_ As he continued to drive, Pearl began to talk further. _"So I have to ask, was the evening satisfactory for you? I know things became a little awkward between us towards the end, and for that I apologize."_ Then Jamie responded, _"Don't apologize Pearl, I'm the one who's at fault for the awkwardness. And yes, I did have a good time with you! I really enjoyed the pleasure of your company! Thank you for accepting my invitation!"_ Jamie smiled at her, and attempted to give reassurance, then she reciprocated by smiling back.

While they were nearing the temple Jamie felt the truck start to shake violently, and before he knew it, the truck stalled. _"Are you okay with walking?"_ Jamie asked, as he now saw that the "check engine" light was flashing. Then Pearl replied, _"That's fine. I can walk. The rain doesn't bother me."_ Jamie parked the truck just up the street, then started walking with Pearl towards the Temple. Pearl was staring ahead as she continued to walk, then she saw Jamie remove his coat and placed it on her. _"What are you doing?"_ Pearl asked. Then Jamie replied_, "I'm just trying to be a gentleman."_

While they were walking towards the Temple, Jamie turned his attention towards a speeding car that was coming straight at them. He didn't know if the person driving could see them or not, but he didn't have time to think, as he acted quickly_. "Move!"_ Jamie shouted, as he threw his body over Pearl and forced them out of the way just in time. He was now laying on top of her, but quickly rolled over, and looked up towards the night sky. Pearl was in shock, as she looked over her shoulder and saw that the car kept on speeding away. The two were laying off to the side of the road, and were completely covered in mud from the rain. Jamie rose to his feet and helped Pearl up, then immediately asked, _"Are you okay?"_ She was quiet at first, but then she replied, _"I'm fine! Thank you Jamie, but you didn't have to do that! I could have easily dogged that car! And even if it had somehow managed to hit me, I would've sustained little damage!"_

Jamie laughed, as he picked up his coat that was now soaking in a pool of mud, and attempted to shake it off. Then he looked up towards the rain and sighed heavily, as he replied, _"Well, so much for staying dry!"_ Pearl began to walk faster towards the temple, and now had her arms folded, as she was in deep thought. In that moment she thought of her friend, "Rose," how she had laid down her life several times to save her. She thought of her other two teammates, as well as Steven, how they all protected each other at different times. And she even thought of Greg, how he at different times would put himself in danger just to protect them. But here was Jamie, a man who she barely knew, who was ready to put his life in danger just to save hers. She tried to understand the concept, but found that she was now overcome with too much emotion and could not do so.

When they made it up the steps towards the house, Jamie extended his hand out towards her and said, _"Thank you for a wonderful evening Pearl! It was different, and dangerous, but I had a good time!"_ Pearl was still silent, as she transformed back into her normal appearance, then shook his hand. _"You too,"_ she whispered. _"Thank you for a pleasant evening."_ Pearl was now standing outside the front door and had her arms folded, as she watched Jamie walk back down the stairs. Suddenly she shouted at him, _"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!? DON'T YOU KNOW YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED!? WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?"_

As Jamie was standing on the steps, he turned his attention back towards her and calmly replied, _"I wasn't thinking, I just did it. I mean it was a speeding car, probably a drunk driver because it's Saturday, and it didn't stop! What did you want me to do? Why are you so angry?" _Pearl ignored his words and was now overcome with emotion, as she began to walk back towards him, then spoke in a softer tone. _"What made you decide to grab my hand!? How did you know that I like Shakespeare!? Why did you give me a White Rose!? Please! Tell me!"_ Jamie was stunned at her change in mood and attitude. He looked into her eyes, and felt that she was searching for something, so he replied, _"I don't know why I grabbed your hand. I guess I did it because it felt right, but I'm sorry! Greg told me that you were into Shakespeare. He also said that you were into ballet, but I didn't really want to see that, so I chose Shakespeare instead!"_ There was silence, as Pearl and Jamie were now inches away from each other, and continued to stare into one another's eyes.

"_I gave you a White Rose because it's symbolic,"_ he exclaimed, as he retrieved the rose from his pocket and gave it to her once more. _"It symbolizes both purity and beauty, which is what you are."_ Pearl held the rose in her hand and began to smile, as she looked back into Jamie's eyes.

Suddenly, Jamie placed both of his hands on Pearls face and brought her in close, as he started to kiss her. Pearl was in shock, as she felt the sensation of his lips pressing against hers, and she felt resistance, but her nerves began to calm. She had her eyes closed, and was now filled with different emotions, as the two continued to kiss and hold each other for a little while longer. Then Jamie pulled himself away from her and immediately looked at her gem. _"Pearl, your gemstone is glowing,"_ he exclaimed, as he started to stare at it. He waited for a response, but she gave none, so he placed his hands over her shoulders and began to observe her. He saw that her eyes were still closed, but there were tears streaming down her face, and her mouth was slightly open. _"Snap out of it. Come on Pearl!"_ Jamie whispered, as he lightly shook her body.

Just then, Pearl opened her eyes and immediately placed her hands over her mouth. She turned around, ran back towards the door, and was whimpering as she did so. _"What's wrong!?"_ Jamie asked, as he tried to follow her. _"NO!"_ Pearl shouted. _"STAY THERE! I NEED TO GO!"_ Jamie watched, as Pearl was now hysterical and attempted to open the door, but she dropped the keys several times. He could hear the sound of the keys rattling in her hands, until finally she gave up and started pounding on the door. _"GARNET! AMETHYST! LET ME IN! OPEN THE DOOR PLEASE! I NEED TO GO!"_ Her pleas didn't go unanswered, as the door opened, and a pair of arms pulled her inside.

"_Don't worry, we'll take care of her,"_ Garnet exclaimed, as she was now standing underneath the porch light. _"Goodnight Jamie, Bye." _Just as he was about to respond, Garnet shut the door behind her, and immediately turned off the porch light.

_**New Feelings**_

"_You need to calm yourself down!"_ Garnet exclaimed, as she watched as her teammate pacing around the room. Pearl was hysterical, and was now pulling on her hair as she continued to shout, _"I NEED TO GO! I NEED TO GO! I NEED TO GO! I NEED TO…" _

"_Whoa!"_ Amethyst shouted, as she was standing on the otherside of Pearl. "_What the hell did that guy do to her!?"_ _"Nothing,"_ Garnet replied. _"He did nothing. She's struggling because she's fallen in love, and she doesn't know how to handle it or what to do with it."_ Amethyst sighed, as she continued to stare at Pearl, then finally said, _"I'm definitely glad Steven's not here to see this!"_ Just then Pearl stopped and looked up towards his bedroom. She ran up the stairs crying, and began to call out to him, _"Steven?! Where are you?! I need to speak to you!"_ Pearl began to frantically search though his bedroom, but he was nowhere in sight. _"Where is he!?"_ She shouted, as she began to rearrange his bedroom and was tossing around all of his belongings.

"_Pearl, Stop!"_ Garnet shouted, as she was now standing at the top of the stairs. _"Steven's gone! He's with Greg right now!"_ Pearl jumped down into the living room, and ran towards the front door, but Garnet ran to stop her. Garnet was quicker, as she grabbed Pearl and lifted her high into the air, then walked back towards the Temple door. _"You don't understand! I need to see Steven! It's the only way I can stop this!"_ Pearl shouted, but Garnet ignored her. When Garnet walked by, Amethyst looked up at Pearl and said, _"You know you're going to have to clean up his room! You destroyed it!"_ As Garnet struggled to hold Pearl, she looked down at Amethyst and said, _"I don't think this is time for that!"_

As Garnet held Pearl against the door, the white gem imbedded in it started to glow, then she gained access to Pearl's room. _"Please Garnet! Don't let anything bad happen to me!"_ Pearl pleaded, as she now had tears streaming down her face. _"I'm scared! I'm not ready to leave!"_ Then Garnet became emotional, as she replied, _"Nothing's going to happen to you! I swear! But right now you need to calm yourself down!"_ She observed Pearl's gemstone, and now saw that it was "pulsating" as if it had a "heartbeat." She whispered into her Pearl's ear and finally said, _"Clear your mind. Do it for Steven."_

With that, Pearl shut her eyes and started to concentrate. Garnet felt as she began to breathe easy, so she loosened her grip a little." As Garnet entered Pearl's room, she turned back towards Amethyst and said, _"Wait here for Steven. He should be home soon."_ Then the door closed. Amethyst marched over towards the couch, then threw herself on it, as she mumbled underneath her breath, _"Freakin Drama Queen!" _

She looked up towards the ceiling and observed the nearby clock on the wall. She saw that it was now midnight, as she sighed heavily, and continued to wait for Steven. Just as she closed her eyes momentarily, she heard a "sound" at the front door, so she immediately stood up. At first she thought it was Steven, but then she remembered that he had his own key, so she summoned her whip. She stepped outside, with her weapon drawn, and felt the moisture of the rain coming down upon her. _"The mailman doesn't deliver on Sunday's!"_ Amethyst shouted, as she stared off into the darkness. _"Ah, who am I kidding!? There's no one out here! Screw this!"_ She exclaimed, then headed back towards the door.

Just as she was heading back inside, her eyes looked down at the floor and saw a "White" object. As she kneeled down to pick it up, she said to herself, _"How did a Rose end up out here!?"_ Amethyst thought nothing of it, so she stood up, and walked inside. She tossed the Rose on the counter, laid back down on the couch, and continued to wait for Steven…


	7. Chapter 7: Pulling on my Heartstrings

**Chapter 7:**

**Pulling on my Heartstrings**

_**A Father's Wisdom**_

Faint splattering sounds landed on the roof of the van, as Greg stared outside the window into the grey morning sky. He began to scratch his beard, as he looked over at his son, and observed how he was holding an acoustic guitar. Greg yawned, then he finally said, _"It looks like we've been up all night buddy. Are you feeling tired yet?"_ But Steven was silent, as he was staring down at the guitar and began to pluck each string individually. Greg saw that there was no rhythm or melody to the sound, instead he observed how his son was in deep thought.

"_I know you're a little upset right now, but I think you should try to get some sleep,"_ he exclaimed. _"You start work again on Monday."_ Then Steven looked up at his father, and had tears in his eyes as he said, _"I'm not going back to work on Monday! Can I please work at the carwash again!?"_ Greg sighed, as he looked back at his son, then replied, _"Sure Steven. That's fine with me. But if you ask me you're blowing this out of proportion. It was just a date."_ Steven held his head down and continued to pluck on the guitar strings, then Greg continued to talk.

"_I know Pearl would never do anything to hurt you,"_ he exclaimed. _"Like Garnet said, you have to believe in Pearl and trust that everything will be alright."_ Finally Steven looked up at his father and said, _"I want to go home. I want to lay down on my own bed." _At which point, he opened the door to his father's van, then stepped outside. _"Hold on,"_ Greg exclaimed, as he too got up out of the van. _"Let me take you home." _When Steven grabbed his bike, he turned to his father and said, _"I'm fine dad. I'd rather ride my bike home."_

Greg helped Steven into his rain coat, then proceeded to hug him as he said, _"Alright Steven, I understand. Just don't be so sad. You're too young to be feeling this way."_ Steven's tears were masked by the feeling of the rain running down his face, as Greg pulled away from him and said, _"I love you son."_ Then Steven began to smile a little as he replied, _"I love you too dad."_ Greg grabbed Steven's backpack from the van, then placed it over his sons shoulders. _"As painful as it was for me to lose your mother, not a day goes by that I regret her decision."_ Greg exclaimed, as the two embraced each other one final time. _"Have some compassion for Pearl. I know everything will be alright."_

_**The Temple**_

Amethyst opened her eyes and moved around on the couch, as she gradually started to wake up. She saw that Pearl and Garnet were sitting at the counter, so she pulled herself up, and began walking towards them. _"I guess Steven didn't come home,"_ she exclaimed, as she looked up towards his bedroom. _"He slept over with Greg,"_ Garnet replied, as she was sipping on a cup of coffee. Amethyst sat down next to Pearl, then yawned as she asked, "_So how was your date? I mean aside from flipping out, did you have a good time?"_

Pearl was silent, as she had both of her hands on the back of her neck, and was looking up towards the ceiling. Amethyst looked over at Garnet, who was standing in the kitchen, and she too was staring at Pearl. _"It went fine,"_ Pearl exclaimed, as she looked forward at Garnet. _"I apologize for my behavior last night."_ _"That's okay,"_ Amethyst replied. _"You don't have to apologize. But what the heck happened to you!?"_ Pearl continued to stare at Garnet, then Garnet said_, "If you want to talk, we're here to listen. You know you can tell us anything."_

"_Well,"_ Pearl whispered, as she became a little uneasy in her voice. _"Jamie and I kissed."_ Amethyst's eyes grew wide, then she replied, _"You guys kissed!? What kind of kiss was it!? Was it a Steven kiss!?"_ Pearl began to tap her fingers on the counter, then she said, _"No, I'm afraid not. It wasn't that type of a kiss. It was more personal."_ Amethyst stared at her, then continued, _"Were you thinking of Greg!? Was that why you freaked out last night!?"_ Pearl immediately looked back at her and said, _"No! Of course not! Why would you even say that!?"_ Amethyst just shrugged her shoulders, then she replied, _"I don't know. I just thought it would be funny to ask."_ Pearl rolled her eyes, then placed her hand over her mouth, as she continued to stare at the counter.

"_What exactly was going through your mind when you kissed Jamie? And why did you decide to do it?"_ Garnet asked, as she set her coffee cup down. Pearl removed her hand from her mouth, then replied, _"I don't know why I did. I'm still trying to figure that one out. A lot was going through my mind. My head was spinning and I felt several different things at once. I felt the sensation of his lips pressing against mine, followed by a warm feeling."_ Garnet and Amethyst looked at each other, as Pearl continued to talk. _"I resisted at first, but Jamie was so gentle in his touch, I guess didn't seem to mind."_ Suddenly, Amethyst placed her hand on Pearls shoulder and said, _"Pearl, you can stop now."_ But Pearl replied, _"Hold on, I want to finish. I'd like to thank the two of you for listening to me, because this is something that I really needed talk about."_

"_So anyway,"_ she continued. _"We kissed, and it was awkward, but prior to that our time together was actually quite pleasant."_ Amethyst and Garnet observed how Pearls demeanor had changed, as she began to smile a little and she continued to speak. _"He took me to go see a play, Shakespeare to be exact, which I thought was romantic! During the play he held my hand, and of course, I felt a little uncomfortable. But now that I think about it, it wasn't so bad!"_ Amethyst once again placed her hand on Pearl's shoulder, then spoke louder, _"I think you need to stop!"_ But Pearl pushed her hand away and replied, _"Would you please hold on!? I'm not finished! I need to talk about this!"_ Finally, Amethyst grabbed Pearl by her shoulders and shouted, _"I SAID YOU NEED TO STOP!"_

Pearl felt herself becoming angry, as she glared back at Amethyst and said, _"Why should I!? Why do I need to stop!? You asked me, now I'm trying to explain it to you!"_ Amethyst grabbed Pearl by her face, then turned her attention towards the front door, and shouted, _"THAT'S WHY!"_ When Pearl looked at the front door, she saw Steven standing in the doorway with fresh tears streaming down his face. He immediately ran back outside the house, and was now crying as he did so. _"STEVEN, WAIT!"_ Pearl shouted, as she immediately stood up and ran after him. _"I'M SORRY!"_ As Pearl exited the house, Amethyst shouted at her, _"Nice going smart guy!"_

"_Amethyst, stop!"_ Garnet shouted, as she too was now angry. _"We need to be there for Steven! Now get up and let's go!"_ But Amethyst was defiant, as she kept her arms folded and continued to sit down on the stool, then replied, _"This is all her fault! I told her to shut up, but she wouldn't listen! Let her chase after Steven! She's fast! She can catch him!"_ Garnet briskly walked towards the door, then turned back at Amethyst and replied, _"I'm afraid she won't be able to this time."_ Amethyst had a shocked look on her face, as she asked, _"What do you mean!?"_ But Garnet replied, _"There's no time to explain. Right now we need to follow them. Now let's go!"_

_**The Chase**_

"_WAIT STEVEN! WE NEED TO TALK!"_ Pearl shouted, as she was chasing after him. Steven was sitting on his bike and began to peddle faster, as he turned to look at her and replied, _"Just go away! Leave me alone! I don't want to be around you right now!"_ Pearl began to run faster, as she shouted at him once more, _"YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T OUTRUN ME! EVEN ON YOUR BIKE! SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL STOP!"_ But he ignored her, as he peddled with all his strength, and didn't turn back to look this time. Suddenly, Pearl began to breathe heavily, as she struggled to keep up with him. She felt her eyes pulsating, and watched as he got further and further away from her.

"_Please stop!"_ Pearl shouted, as she slowed down and immediately grabbed her gemstone. When she finally ceased running, she began to kneel, then she lifted her head up to look at him one final time. _"Please don't go Steven!"_ She cried, but was overcome with fatigue. Amethyst and Garnet finally caught up to her, and when they did, they saw that she was laying on her back, looking up towards the sky. _"Whoa!"_ Amethyst exclaimed. _"What happened to you!?"_

"_She's pregnant,"_ Garnet whispered, as she was looking down at Pearl. Amethyst was in shock, as she looked over at Garnet and said, _"Are you serious!? This has to be a joke!" _Garnet was silent, as she picked Pearl up off the ground, and observed that her gemstone was "pulsating" again_. "Are you okay?"_ she asked. Pearl was breathing heavily and now had tears in her eyes, as she was being cradled in Garnets arms. She looked over at Amethyst and said.

"_Amethyst! Please Go after him! Bring him back!"_


	8. Chapter 8: Small Heart, Big Break

**Chapter 8:**

**Small Heart, Big Break**

"_Did you by any chance see a curly haired kid pass through here?"_ Amethyst asked, as she was standing in front of Beach City Walk Fries. _"He's kind of chubby, and he was riding on a bike."_ Mr. Fryman pointed to the outskirts of the city and said, _"Steven went that way. He seemed upset, but if you hurry you can catch him."_ Amethyst was biting on her nails, and appeared to be nonchalant as she replied, _"Thank you."_ She placed her fist on the counter, then she asked, _"How about the bits!?" _Mr. Fryman replied, _"Its Sunday. We're closed on Sunday's. I'm just here to do inventory."_ Amethyst started pounding her fist on the counter, while shouting, _"GIVE ME THE BITS!"_

Mr. Fryman sighed, then he finally said, _"Fine. Give me a minute."_ When he was finished, she snatched the bag out of his hands then said, _"Thanks, yellow haired dude!"_ Mr. Fryman rolled his eyes, then closed the window to the establishment as Amethyst walked away.

_**A conversation with Steven**_

Steven was sitting at the edge of a mountain, and had his legs hanging over the cliff, as he stared out into the ocean. He could hear the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below, but he also heard the sound of someone's footsteps. When he turned his head towards the sound, he saw Amethyst walking towards him. _"How's it going dude?"_ She asked, as she sat down beside him. But Steven was silent, as he continued to stare at the ocean and appeared as though he was ignoring her. "_You have to get over yourself,"_ Amethyst exclaimed. _"Pearl's an idiot!"_ Steven looked at her, and had a hurt look in his eyes, as she backtracked quickly from her words. _"I mean, she's not an idiot! She just makes bad choices sometimes! We all make bad choices!"_

Then Steven finally asked, _"What happened when my mom left?"_ Amethyst was staring out towards the sea, and became frustrated, as she said to herself, _"Why did it have to be me!? Not Pearl, not Garnet, but me!?"_ She looked back at Steven and replied, _"We told you Steven. Your mom gave up her physical form to create you."_ Then Steven exclaimed, _"I know that, but I want to know how it happened."_ Amethyst was dumfounded, as she placed her hands on her head, and finally said, _"Look, I'm not really good at explaining this! Why don't we go back to the temple, so Garnet can explain it to you!"_ Steven turned away, and had little drops of moisture falling from his eyes, then Amethyst sighed.

"_All I know is that my friend Rose fell in love with your dad,"_ She exclaimed, then put her arm on his shoulders to bring him in closer. _"I don't know how it happened, or why it did. I just know that she made a choice to be with Greg, and together they made you."_ While he was being held in Amethyst's arms, he looked up at her and asked, _"Is Pearl going to be alright!?"_ Her eyes grew wide, as she became uneasy, and attempted to console him by saying, "_Of course! Pearl's going to be just fine! In fact, she's waiting at the house for you right now!"_ Steven pushed himself away and immediately stood at the edge of the cliff, then he replied, _"You're lying!"_ Amethyst spoke calmly, as she said, _"Okay dude! Just be careful! Don't do anything stupid!"_

Steven's feet were now at the edge of the cliff, as he looked over and saw the waves crashing against the walls of the mountain. He lost his footing, then fell over, as Amethyst stood up and shouted, _"STEVEN!"_ She summoned her whip, then swung it down upon him with all her strength, but it was too late. His cries echoed as he fell down the side of the mountain, but were silenced as they faded away into nothingness. Amethyst was frantic, as she placed both of her hands over her ears to prevent herself from hearing a sound. _"OH MY GOD, STEVEN!"_ She shouted, as she looked over the edge, with tears streaming down her face. She began to climb over the side of the mountain, and kept a tight grip as she clinched against the rock. As she was doing so, she looked down and noticed that a heavy "fog" gathered on the surface, so she could no longer see the ocean.

_**Drowning in a Sea of Love**_

Suddenly, a burst of water came out of the ocean, which pushed Amethyst high into the air. Steven was laughing, as Lapis Lazuli set him down onto the mountain top, then he said, _"Thanks Lapis!"_ Her wings disappeared, as she too stepped down onto the mountain, then replied, "_You're welcome Steven. Try to be more careful, please!" _Steven looked around, then began shouting, _"Amethyst!? Where are you!?"_ Lapis Lazuli looked up towards the sky, then she quietly said, _"Move Steven. Get out of the way."_ She gently pushed him back, and when she did, Amethyst came falling down onto the mountain again.

"_Amethyst!"_ Steven shouted. _"Are you okay!?"_ She was coughing and gasping for air, then she replied, _"I'm fine! I just got the wind knocked out of me!"_ Steven helped her to her feet, and as he did, she looked over and saw Lapis standing off to the side. _"You again!?"_ Amethyst exclaimed, as she attempted to recover. _"I figured it was you!" _Lapis ignored her, as she focused her attention on Steven, then replied, _"You are never alone Steven. Don't be so sad. I'm here, and I'll always be your friend."_ With that, her aqua wings reappeared, then she leaped off the mountain and began flying towards. Steven began to smile a little, as he waved goodbye to her, and watched as she disappeared into the clouds. Amethyst had her arms folded, and was disgruntled as she said, _"I wish someone would make her give up her physical form!"_

Steven looked at her and immediately said, _"What did you say!?"_ Then Amethyst replied, _"Nothing Steven! I was just kidding!"_ Steven sat back down, then Amethyst said, _"Well, are you coming back to the Temple!? Pearl's worried sick about you and I promised that I would bring you home!"_ Steven was silent, as he continued to stare out at the ocean again, then he replied, _"You shouldn't make promises that you can't keep!"_ Amethyst sat down next to him, then exclaimed, _"Whatever Steven! What's it going to take!? Are you that upset with Pearl!?"_ He leaned back onto his side, then placed an arm underneath his head as he replied, _"Just leave me alone. I want to be left alone please! I'm not going home! It's like Lapis said, I'm never alone. She's my friend, so I don't need Pearl."_

Amethyst felt her anger and rage brewing, as she struggled to remain calm. _"Who cares what Lapis thinks!"_ Amethyst shouted, as she stood over him. _"She wasn't the one who changed your diaper when you were a baby! She's not the one who cooks and cleans for you! And she's not the one who's heartbroken right now because you're gone!" _When she was finished yelling at him, she saw that his body began to shake, as he began to cry once more.

"_Oh Geeze!"_ She exclaimed, then she sat back down next to him. Amethyst sighed, then she whispered to him, _"We can stay here for as long as you want Steven. However long it takes.."_


	9. Chapter 9: My Romanticide

**Chapter 9**

"**My Romanticide"**

A ray of light shinned through the bedroom window, as Jamie moved his body in the bed, and started to wake up. He opened his eyes and then he let out a yawn, after which he looked over towards the night stand and saw that the alarm clock displayed "6:00am." He leaned up from his pillow and began to clear his throat, then he reached out to grab a wardrobe that he had set aside the night before. Jamie stood up out of his bed and began to change his attire. When he was finished, he was now wearing a "hoodie sweatshirt, athletic shorts, white socks and running shoes." He then walked into his kitchen, filled up a glass of water from the faucet, then retrieved a wrist watch that was sitting on the counter. He began to stretch a little, as he bent over to touch the tips of his shoes, and was preparing to go for a morning jog.

When Jamie finally walked outside, he looked down at his wrist watch to set the timer. He stretched one final time, then he stepped off the porch and began to jog away from the house. During the course of his run, he could feel the warmth of the morning sun radiating from above, as his body temperature started to rise. After a while he looked down at his wrist watch again, and observed that time was now "6:45am." He was breathing heavily and began to slow his pace down, and was now walking on the beach. He placed his hands over his hips, then looked up towards the sky, and was attempting to control his breathing. He turned around, then slowly started to jog in the direction that he had arrived. And as he was doing so, he observed that he was passing right in front of the temple.

_**The Temple**_

"_Where are they!?"_ Pearl anxiously exclaimed. _"Amethyst should be back by now!" "Calm down," _Garnet replied. _"She's with Steven, and they're both fine."_ Pearl was sitting on the couch and had both of her hands placed over her abdomen, when she looked up at Garnet and said, _"I still can't believe this is happening! It all seems so surreal!"_ Then her voice started to crack, as she finally asked, _"Are you absolutely sure that I'm…."_ Garnet was peering through the blinds, when suddenly, she turned to face Pearl and said, "_Don't do this to yourself. You know it in your heart to be true…"_ Pearl placed a hand over her gemstone, then slowly started to stare at the floor, and began crying. _"I messed up!"_ She whispered. _"I lost sight of what was most important to me!" _

Garnet continued to peer through the blinds, and could hear the sound of Pearl sobbing in the background, then she replied, _"Remember what I told you. Don't be afraid of the unknown. Sometimes what may seem frightening to you, actually turns out to be something beautiful." _When the two became silent, Garnet watched as a vehicle drove up, which was followed by the sound of loud music. Pearl lifted her head, then asked, _"Is that Greg? What's he doing here!?"_ Her eyes lit up, as she immediately stood up from the couch and said, _"Maybe he brought Steven!"_ As Pearl was walking towards the door, Garnet placed a hand over her chest and said, _"It's Jamie."_ Pearl froze, then as she stepped away from the door, she looked up at Garnet and said, _"I'm not ready for this! I can't see him right now! I don't want to!"_ Garnet reassured her, as she placed a hand on Pearl's shoulder, then whispered, _"I'll take care of it. Don't worry."_

Pearl's heart began to beat faster, as she could hear the sound of Jamie's footsteps coming up the stairs. She stepped off to the side, then watched as the door opened, and Garnet was now standing before Jamie. "_Goodmorning,"_ he exclaimed. _"Is Steven ready?" _Then Garnet replied, "_Goodmorning Jamie. Unfortunately Steven's not here right now. He went to the doctors office because he said that he was feeling ill."_ Jamie sighed, then he replied, _"I understand."_ He paused for a moment, then he finally asked, _"Is Pearl home by any chance? I've been meaning to talk to her."_ Then Garnet responded, "_Unfortunately, she's not here either. She took Steven to the doctors office. But if there's something that you would like to say, I can relay it to her."_ Pearl was silent, as she was sitting on the staircase to Steven's bedroom, and listened intently as they conversed.

"_I just wanted to apologize,"_ Jamie exclaimed. "_If I caused her any distress, I'm truly sorry." _Garnet nodded her head in acknowledgement, as Jamie continued. _"I wanted to thank her for a wonderful evening. I work a lot, so I don't have a lot of free time on my hands. It was nice to spend a few hours with her."_ Then Garnet replied, "_I'm sure she understands. She actually had a good time as well. Thank you Jamie, I'll inform her."_ As Jamie was about to leave, Pearl stood up from the staircase and shouted, _"Wait!"_ She walked over towards the door and said, _"Hello Jamie." _He was in shock, as he looked back at her and said, "_Pearl!? But I thought you weren't…."_

"_I know,"_ she exclaimed, as he was cut short. _"I was feeling a little apprehensive about seeing you, and for that I apologize."_ Garnet looked at Jamie and said, _"Sorry."_ He stared at both of them, then replied, _"It's okay. I understand."_ Pearl sighed for a moment, then finally she asked, "_Would you mind coming inside for a moment? I'd like to speak with you, if that's okay?"_

_**A Conversation with Pearl and Garnet**_

Jamie and Pearl were both seated on the couch, as Garnet sat on a stool at the counter, and asked, _"Would the two of you like some privacy?"_ Just as Pearl was about to say something, Jamie spoke up and said, _"No, that's quite alright. What I have to say can be heard both of you."_ He looked over at Pearl and said, _"You already listened to most of what I had to say, but let me just add this. I'm sorry I pressured you."_ Pearl was silent, as she had both of her hands resting on her lap, then Jamie held one and continued, _"I mean it Pearl. I'm sorry."_ While Jamie was holding her hand, he looked down at her fingers, then smiled as he said, "_Your nails still look beautiful. Just like tiny Pearls." _

Pearls eyes were wet, as she looked back at him and forced herself to smile. He stood up from the couch, then finally said, _"I have to get going. The mails not going to deliver itself. Thank you for the conversation."_ As he was walking towards the door, Garnet said, _"Jamie, there's one more thing that we need to discuss. It's concerning Steven." _He turned back to her and said, _"I think I already know what you're about to say. He's not going to be able to work with me anymore, and that's okay, I understand."_ Garnet stared at him for a moment, then finally said, _"Thank you for understanding, but how did you know?"_ Jamie smiled at her, then replied, _"I have a mother and a few sisters as well. I'm very protective of them, so I think I know where Steven's coming from. Tell Steven that the job offer still stands. If he ever decides that he wants to work with me again, I'll be waiting."_

"_Thank you Jamie,"_ Garnet replied. _"You're welcome,"_ he said. When he finally left the house, Garnet looked over at Pearl and asked, "_Are you okay? You're pretty quiet right now." _Pearl remained silent, as she continued to stare at the floor, and was in a deep thought. _"It's finished,"_ she whispered. _"There's nothing more to say."_ Then Garnet replied, "_So I see you decided not to tell him about your pregnancy." "It's not his problem," _Pearl exclaimed. _"He has no control. This is my responsibility, and mine alone."_ Then Garnet said, _"I'm a little uncomfortable with you referring to IT is a problem..."_

"_That's not what I meant,"_ Pearl exclaimed. After a while they both became silent, until Pearl finally said, _"I'm still in control! This doesn't have to happen!"_

_**The Departure**_

Jamie placed the key in the ignition and started the engine, then drove away. He felt sadness coming over him, so he decided to put his shades on in order to mask the tears that were gathering at the corners of his eyes.

As he was driving, he looked into the rear view mirror and could see the image of the Temple getting smaller in the background. Then he quietly said to himself,

"_Bye Bye Beautiful…"_


	10. Chapter 10: Mending a Broken Heart

**Chapter 10:**

**Mending a Broken Heart**

The sky was dark outside, as another day had come and gone, and still, there was no sign of Steven or Amethyst. _"This is ridiculous!"_ Pearl exclaimed. _"I'm going to find Steven myself! I've waited long enough!" "No,"_ Garnet replied. _"You shouldn't. They'll be back soon."_ The two were standing in front of the Temple door, when Pearl looked up at Garnet and said, _"I want to speak with Rose! I need to somehow gain access to her room! Maybe there's a way to put a stop to this!" "But how!?"_ Garnet exclaimed. _"Steven has her gem. He's the only one who can access her room. We'll just have to wait."_ The two became silent, as they continued to stand in front of the temple door, then they both looked up towards Steven's bedroom.

"_I messed up!"_ Pearl whispered, as she began to cry a little. _"Steven hates me, and now he's gone because of me!"_ Garnet sighed, and began to rub Pearl's back to console her, then she said, _"You're not the only one who he's angry with."_ Pearl stopped crying, then she looked up at her and asked, _"Why would Steven be mad at you?"_ Then Garnet replied_, "That night when you went out with Jamie, Steven asked me if I could foresee what was going to happen, and if I could somehow alter it. I refused, and told him that I don't believe in influencing anyone's decisions."_ Pearl's mouth dropped, as she stared back at her friend and now had a shocked expression on her face.

"_What!?"_ She screamed, as tears gathered in her eyes. _"You mean you knew what would happen, and you did nothing to prevent it!? But why!? How could you!?"_ Garnet wiped the tears from her friends face, then replied, _"Because I don't believe in shaping anyone's destiny. If I did, Steven wouldn't be in existence."_ Pearl looked down at the floor, then felt sadness as she quietly said, _"I can't believe I let that man touch me!"_ She folded her arms into her chest, then continued to speak, _"I feel so ashamed!"_

"_I just want Steven back and I want everything to go back to normal!"_

Garnet took Pearl into her arms, then embraced her as she whispered, _"It's going to be okay. Everything will be just fine. Steven will be back soon, I know it." _

_**Steven's Back**_

As the two were hugging, the door to the house kicked open, and now standing before them was Amethyst and Steven. _"Let me go!"_ Steven shouted _"I don't want to be here!"_ As he was squirming and struggling to break free from her grip, Amethyst replied, _"Calm down dude! Geeze!"_ After she set him down, he immediately ran back towards the door to escape. However Amethyst was quicker, as she immediately shapeshifted into a brick wall and covered the doorway.

"_Let me out of here! Now!"_ Steven shouted, as he began pounding his fists onto the purple brick wall_. "Steven wait!"_ Pearl shouted, as she lunged towards him. "_You don't have to leave! Please don't go!"_ Just as she was about to grab him, Steven turned, and now had his back pressed up against the brick wall. Then he shouted, _"Don't come near! Get away from me!"_ He looked around, and the only place he could go to was his bedroom, so he ran towards it. As he headed up the stairs, he shouted back at Pearl, _"Go be with Jamie! He's your new special guy friend! You don't need me, you don't need my dad, you don't need anybody!"_

Pearl felt her anger brewing, as she looked towards the stairs and shouted back at him, _"Why are you speaking to me this way!? Jamie's not special, he's not a friend, he's not anything to me!"_ But Steven ignored her, as he dove into his bed then replied, _"Whatever, I don't care! Just leave me alone!" _In her frustration, Pearl pulled on her hair then shouted once more, _"Please Steven! Stop! You're breaking my heart! I'm sorry!"_ As she began to walk up the stairs towards his bedroom, Garnet said, _"Pearl, don't! Leave him alone. He's upset and he needs to cool off."_

"_No, I need to fix this!"_ Pearl replied. "_This is all my fault! I'm the reason why he's upset right now!"_ She crawled into bed next Steven, then proceeded to hug him, and as she was doing so she could feel his body becoming tense. After a while Steven couldn't fight back his emotions any longer, so he immediately wrapped his arms around Pearls waist, then buried his face into her stomach and began sobbing uncontrollably. She had her back pinned up against Steven's headboard, and was now looking down at him, as she was running her fingers through his hair. _"Shhh,"_ she whispered, as she planted a kiss on the back of Steven's head. _"I'm here sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere."_

She could feel the warmth of Steven's tears soaking in her shirt, as she continued to caress her fingers through his hair. After a while he feel asleep, and as she lifted her head up, she immediately saw Garnet and Amethyst standing before the bed. _"I guess this just pretty much reaffirms why we can't date!"_ Amethyst exclaimed. _"Be quiet!"_ Garnet whispered. _"Keep your voice down! I think this reaffirms why Pearl can't date."_ Pearl shook her head, then spoke quietly, _"It wasn't a date!"_

"_Sure Pearl!"_ Amethyst whispered. _"Whatever you need to tell yourself! Maybe you should wait till Steven is 18 before you decide to go on a date with someone! Also, it's amazing to me how much Steven freaked out! He acted like his whole world was over! If he freaked out this much, just imagine how he would feel if he knew that you were…."_ But Garnet stopped her, and immediately placed a hand over Amethyst's mouth, then whispered, _"You will not! You and I are going to have a conversation right now!"_ Garnet leaped from Steven's bedroom, down to the Temple door, and had Amethyst in tow. As the door opened, they walked inside, then they disappeared.

Pearl continued to stare down at Steven, and observed that he was totally asleep, but he still had his arms wrapped around her. She reached out to adjust Steven's blanket, so that it covered his legs, as well as hers. She continued to run her fingers through his hair, when she lifted her head up, and observed the Temple door open once more. She saw Garnet walk into the living room, turn off all the lights inside the house, then she walked upstairs. _"Well, is everything okay now?"_ Garnet asked. _"Yes, we're fine,"_ Pearl replied. As Garnet was standing there observing Steven, Pearl looked up at her and said, _"Can I ask you something?"_

"_Sure,"_ Garnet replied. _"What is it?"_ Pearl continued to stare down at Steven, then she exclaimed, _"Do you think it's possible to alter your destiny?"_ Garnet was silent, then she replied, _"I believe as beings, we do what we can until our destiny is revealed to us." _Then Pearl looked up at her and said, _"I'm still in control. I believe I can change this." _

"_I believe you can too,"_ Garnet replied. _"Our friend made a choice to give up her physical form to create Steven. You have to make that same choice."_

"_I'll support you no matter what decision you make."_

"_But you need to hurry because you don't have that much time left…."_


End file.
